In the lead-up to the 2022 AFL national draft to be held on November 28-29, and Richmond holding picks 53 and 63, Tony Greenberg has compiled a list of the Tigers’ all-time top 10 draft selections over pick 50. We are counting them down from 10 to one. Coming in at No. 2 is Andrew Kellaway.
Andrew Kellaway had been playing for VFA club Sandringham, when he received an invitation from Richmond to go on to its supplementary list.
The AFL’s supplementary list preceded the rookie list, but players could only be upgraded to a club’s primary list from there via the national draft.
Kellaway was rapt to be provided with an opportunity at Tigerland, where his older brother Duncan had already established himself as a top defender.
Slowly, but surely, Kellaway adapted to the tempo of the league’s reserve-grade competition in his role as a key backman.
He thrived on the challenge of nullifying the effectiveness of the opposition’s most dangerous tall forwards.
In 1997, Kellaway was one of the best players for the Tigers’ reserve-grade team in the grand final win against Hawthorn.
So impressed was Richmond with young Kellaway’s development, it decided to make room for him on the senior playing list.
At the end of the ’97 season, the Tigers traded defender Jamie Tape and ruckman Brad Smith to Collingwood in exchange for pick 71 in the national draft. They subsequently used that pick to promote Kellaway from their supplementary list.
Kellaway made his AFL debut in Round 7, 1998 against Melbourne at the MCG, but it wasn’t until 2000 that he became an integral member of the Richmond line-up.
That season, Kellaway played every game in a key defensive role, took the most marks at the Club, and capped off his impressive efforts by winning the Jack Dyer Medal, as well as earning selection in the All-Australian side.
Kellaway, who played 118 games in-a-row from early 1999 to mid-2004, was a first-rate, consistent contributor for the Tigers.
His total focus, at all times, was doing whatever he could to help the team achieve success.
He approached each on-field contest with an utterly fearless, relentless attitude, earning enormous respect from teammates, coaches, supporters and opponents alike for his courage, determination, dedication, discipline and durability.
All-up, Kellaway played 172 games for Richmond in a fine career from 1998-2006.
